Improvement in forge-hammers



@auch tatts @stmt @ffice BENJAMIN WALKEIL O-F GREEN POINT, NEW YORK. LettersY Patent No. 7-],823, dated December 3, 1867; antedzted November 23, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN FORGE-HAMMERS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WALKER, of Green Point, in the county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Power-Hammers, of which therfollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadi to the accompanying drawing, formingpart of this specification,

i and in which- Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a power-hammer constructed according to my improvement.

Figure 2, a sectional elevation of the same, viewed at right angles to hg. 1.

Like letters indicate like parts in both figures.

My improvement, in its leading features, relates to that description of power-hammers in which a vbratory motion is given to the hammer proper, by suitable driving-gear, having interposed between it and said hammer an elastic and flexible connection, through which the power is communicated, and that forms the driver proper to the hammer or hammer-head, in which, and other respects, it essentially differs from-a trip-hammcr, that it may be used as a'substitutc for, to deal blows in rapid succession on the work.V

The nature of my invention consists, firstly, in combination with a power-hammer of the character mentioned, of devices for, without changing the run ofthe drivinggear or altering the velocity of the hammer, varying at pleasure, while the hammer is at work, the attitude or position of its stroke to adapt it to operate closerto or further from the anvil, according to the requirements of the work; also, in instantaneously, as it were, arresting at pleasure, or as circumstances may require, the motion of the hammer without stopping its drivingmechanism.l Said invention also further consists in a novel combination, with the hammer proper or stem projection connected therewith, of an air-cushion cylinder or chamber, provided'with a valve, and operating to act as an elastic check to the hammer, at or towards the close of its up stroke, without producing suction to form a drag in the descent. y

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the hammer, the framework carrying which may be of any suita ble description, is shown as driven by a pulley, A, which derives its rotary motion from any suitable power. Said pulley communicating by band, a, motion to a second pulley, B, hung on a shaft, 11, that carries a crank or disk, C, having an eccentric pin, c, operating a pitman, D, preferably made divided, and joined by a screw-coupling, d, to give an adjustable iixed position to a slide, E, through an arm, e, to which'the pitman D is pivoted, for the purpose of varying, in a fixed manner, the range or position in the stroke of the hammer before starting the latter. The slide E works in upright guidesf, carrying the springs orspring F, which forms an elastic driver to the vibratory hammer proper or hammer-head G, and may be extended so that the ends thereof pass through or are otherwise united in a direct manner to the hammer-head, or have their connection therewith established, by the inter position of a iexible leather strap, g. The hammer or hammer-head G reciprocates in upright guides h, carrying 'at its bottom any suitable former or block z', and is provided at its Vtop with a stem, j, which works ina cylinder, H, furnished with a valve, k, in its upper portion, closing from the interior, and with a suilcieltly loose and long play, so that not until the stem 7' approximates the close of its upward stroke in the vibration of the hammer, will the valve be closed to convert the cylinder H into an air-cushion to for-m an elastic check to the hammer in its up stroke, and aid'in starting it on the down motion, but opening early in the descent and admitting air t0 prevent suction or a drag being thrown upon the hammer. in its down stroke. Although, by the means here described, a rapid vibratory motion may be given to the hammer or l1ammerhead, with an elasticity of action which prevents destructive shocks, and reduces the liability to breakage, and the position of the lever on its fulcrum may be changed in a fixed manner before starting, by shortening or lengthening the pitman D, as described, so. as in a measure to vary in attitude or position of stroke of the hammer-head, without changing the velocity or of necessity the length of stroke, still it-is exceedingly desirable that aquick andV variable change of `action in this respectI should be under the control of the hammerman, to adapt the hammer to different heights of work on the anvil or as circumstances may direct, while the hammer is running.` -To accomplisht-his, I attach to the fulcrum or slide E of the spring-driver F a rod, I, around which, and between the Vslide and a fixed support, Z, may be wound a spring, m, that serves as an elastic rest to the slide E, to contribute towards smoothness and easiness of action in a rapid working of the hammer, and that serves to return the slide or fulcrum E to its normal position when released from depression by therod I, that in the lordinary working` of the hammer has free and independent vertical playin connection with the slide E, and performs no function,

but which,'when it is required to lower the position of the fulcruni E or basei of the spring-driver ,F, `to give the hammer a lower range of action to suit work on the .anvil without changing the velocity, however, is more or less depressed, according to the position of hammer-stroke required by it, ,may be forcing inwards a slide, J, that acts by an inclined formation given its rear end, ou a block, fn, connected with the rod Vl, and which action may be produced at pleasure, while the hammer is at work, by the hammerman in front" through a lever, K. In 'this way is the hammer proper placed under the most perfect control to adapt it to work at different heights from the anvil wlithoutstopping the machine, altering its velocity, or of necessity its lengtl of stroke. Again, it is very desirable that the hammer-man should have it in his power to instantaneously stop the hammer or arrest the blow,l and as rapidly to start it again to meet various exigencies.` This, in a rapid working machine, is not to be done by stopping and starting-devices tothe latter' generally, nor is it desirable to interfere with the regular running of the driving-gear. I accordingly adopt an independent hold-fast or friction-block to the hammer-head G, or its sliding portion working within the vertical guides h, and place the same under the control of the man at the hammer. This holdfast may consist of a loosely-fitted gib, 1', that, when itis desired to arrest the blow or action of the hammer-head, is made to bear or throw friction against the latter, which stops it without arresting the motion'of the machine generally, by reason of the elastic or exible character of the driver interposed between the driving-gear and hammer proper. rIhe saine lever K that is used for regulating the stroke of the hammer, may also be employedtby working it in a reverse direction) to rapidly'or instantaneously throw'into friction or stopping action on the hammer-head, thegib r by means of a groove, s, in the slide J and rod t, gearing therewith, and acting, when raised, to project its inclined head against a bar, u, to shove the latter forward, and so produce the frictional pressure of the gib. The groove s in the slide J is straight for the greater portion of its length, so that said slide, in the working of it to regulate the-stroke of the hammer, may have no action on the rod t, but only-operatey upon the latter when the slide is fairly drawn out of pressure on` the block n of the rod I, and said lever suitably thrown back by a crook in the groove s, then being brought to bear on the rod t. Furthermore, it isla matter of'no small importance in machine-hammers generally, that not only the anvil, but die-holder and lower die which it carries, should be firmly yet adjustably secured, without tendency toburst the block, however., and having, as an object to be gained, the saving of labor and time in adjusting the bottom die parallel ,with the upper one-a feature of no little value where swaging-dies are used. To secure this desideratum, the anvil L, in addition to its being held in place by -a wedge or key, M, is first set by adjusting and holding-screws v, acting upon a tongue, w, of the anvil, that is' also secured to the frame of the machine by screw-bolts'x, fitting through slots in the anvil to provide for the longitudinal adjustment of the latter by the screws v, while the die-holder N, which is held down tothe anvil by bolts passing through slots in it, is made transversely adjustable in or on the anvil by set-screws y, bearing in sets of two ormore against the back and front of the holder, that is likewise longitudinally adjustable by screws z, so that the same is adjustable in all directions, including twist thereof or of thedie which it carries.

It may here be observed in reference to the power-hammer represented and described, that the force of it not being proportioned to -its Weight, it is or may be made readily Vapplicable to do either very light or exceedingly heavy work, and the same sized hammer made capable of either at pleasure.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a power-hammer, having a spring or elastic and flexible dev-ice interposed between the driving-gear and hammer proper to operate the latter, of mechanism consisting of th'c lever K, slide J, rod I, and spring m, or their equivalents, for changing the position of the fulcrum of said flexible device to vary, while at work, the stroke of the hammer without altering its velocity, all constructed and arranged substantially as specified.

2. The arrangement and combination ofthe lever K, slide J, provided with crookcdslot s, rod t, and bar u, for action ou the friction-block r, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The cylinder or chamber H, with its valve lc, in combination with the hammer-stem, all constructed and arranged for operation together, substantially as and for the purpose specified. i

4. The combination of the screws n and bolts a', with thekey or wedge M, and tongue w, for holding and adjusting the anvil, as herein set forth.

BENJN. WALKER.

Witnesses:

J. W. CooMBs, G. W. REED. 

